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Bundschuh
The Bundschuh are a populist political faction that has been declared "Enemy of the State" by the Rheinland Reichstag. History Believed to be founded by a group of New Berlin University students in 679 AS, the movement had much support among the liberal elite of New Berlin, tired of the corrupt practices of the government that had led them to financial ruin near the end of the 80-Years War. During the Dresden rebellion of 700 AS, the Bundschuh found their first official cause -- shipping supplies "liberated" from Frankfurt to the Kruger and Daumann rebels. Three months after that, sympathetic maintenance workers started sabotaging Daumann manufacturing operations in New Berlin. The industrial heart of Rheinland stopped beating, and the Popular Revolution had begun. Five years later the Emperor was overthrown,, and a new coalition government was established in its place. While the Bundschuh initially pushed for a full investigation into the activities of companies such as Kruger Mining and Daumann Heavy Construction, more pragmatic elements within the government decided that for the newly formed Rheinland Republic to succeed, it needed the support of the aristocrats who controlled those and other major companies. Both Kruger and Daumann were eventually required to pay substantial reparations intended to "improve the Rheinland Republic for the good of all people," and all Rheinland companies were forced to comply with a newly ratified Workers' Rights Convention. By 715 AS business in Dresden had more or less resumed as usual. The Bundschuh were driven underground, an impractical brand of idealism ill-suited to building a consensus among the many different government factions and the aristocrats who controlled the purse strings. The Bundschuh took the ideological high route, attracting the purists dedicated to overthrowing the corrupt Rheinland regime represented by the government, Daumann, and Republican. The Red Hessians adapted the more pragmatic approach of stealing and plundering in the guise of fighting the powers that be. As a result, the Red Hessian ranks swelled, and the Bundschuh dwindled. The Bundschuh have always looked to the Unioners, LWB, Red Hessians, and disgruntled Republican, Daumann and Kruger workers for possible recruits. So they maintain a distinct note of neutrality towards the criminal groups, although they find the Red Hessian practice of indiscriminate piracy distasteful. They prefer to focus on Daumann, Republican, and military bases, although they do raid a ship on occasion for supplies, preferably Samura or Kishiro, as they have no more love for Kusari than the rest of the Rheinland. Bases Under Control *Bruchsal Base, Frankfurt system Ships Sold *Borderworld Series Y Stiletto Heavy Fighter Details The Bundschuh commonly fly Borderworld Series fighters, and use Molecular Shields and Tachyon weapons. Notably, the Bundschuh are the only source available for the Sunslayer Torpedo Launcher (for $144,580!). This is the most devastating torpedo available, and does an impressive 11,736 hull damage per shot (by contrast, the more common Starkiller only does 2,424 hull damage per shot). It's worth noting that House battleships only have 69,300 hit points, making the Sunslayer the premiere anti-capital-ship weapon in all of Sirius. Official Faction Standings *ALLIES: **None *ENEMIES **Daumann Heavy Construction **Kruger Minerals **Rheinland Police **Rheinland Military **Bounty Hunters **GMG **Outcasts Rep Grinding Info Friends *Blood Dragons (+0.30) *Unioners (+0.20) *Red Hessians (+0.15) *Mollys (+0.10) *Gaians (+0.05) *Gas Miners Guild (+0.05) Enemies *Rheinland Military (-0.40) *Rheinland Police (-0.25) *Hogosha (-0.10) *Lane Hackers (-0.05) *Liberty Rogues (-0.05) *Republican Shipping (-0.05) *Bounty Hunters Guild (-0.05) *Daumann Heavy Construction (-0.05) *Kruger Minerals (-0.05) News REFORMERS SEEK END TO CORRUPTION: BRUCHSAL -- The Bundschuh of Rheinland and the Blood Dragons of Kusari are organizations that have committed themselves to political ideals over promises of gain by way of murder and piracy. The two groups are motivated by the desire to root out corruption from within their respective governments. The similarities between the Bundschuh and the Blood Dragons are illuminating: both groups believe that it is the influence of corporations that has steered the leadership of their Houses towards corruption and decay. It is also very unlikely that a Bundschuh has ever met a Blood Dragon. de:Bundschuh ru:Буншуг Category:Factions Category:Criminal Factions Category:Rheinland Factions Category:Rebel Factions